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2014-10-28 12:28 PM


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Subject: Nutrition errors on first full
This last Saturday I completed my first full iron. I was pleased to complete the race, but know I messed up on nutrition which probably slowed my pace. I wanted to get some input to ensure I do not repeate the same mistakes.

During training I found that taking one salt tab per hour worked well. The high temp on race day was in the low 70's.

The race only offered Heed instead of Gatorade, and I made the mistake of not getting used to Heed before the race. I started the bike with a bottle of my own Gatorade, but once that was gone I started to use Heed. The Heed did not agree with my stomach, so I stopped using the Heed about half way through the ride. Regarding calorie intake, I think I did well with two peanut butter sandwiches and multiple energy bars (consistent with what I was using during training).

At the start of the run I got another Gatorade from my T2 bag. Continued to take one salt tab per hour. First half of run was good.

By the time I got to the second half of the run I had consumed only the two Gatorades, plus I had somehow lost the rest of my salt tabs (another error). My stomach at that point shut down and I could not take in anything, including water. At that point I was walking and a guy I was walking with stated that my stomach problems were probably related to taking too little salt and Heed/Gatorade. I forced down more salt that I got from this guy and forced the Heed. At this same time I took a half of an Rolades to try to calm my stomach. Stomach improved, but at that point there was not enough energy left in me to run. I walked the remaining miles to complete the race.

Any thoughts on why my stomach acted up? I have not have this problem previously during training or during the two previous half irons I have done. Was it related to low salt intake, low energy drink intake, or just because I'm 50 and doing my first ironman.

As I stated above, I am pleased I did well, just don't want to repeate my mistakes.


2014-10-28 12:50 PM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Nutrition errors on first full

Not an expert but had similar problems in my first IM at Lousiville. I did the B2B as well and had a much better race. I contacted Coach Mike Ricci (D3 Mutilsport coaching) for advice before this race. I had a much better run and knocked over 2 hours off my Lousiville time (different race and conditions but I felt better).

It sounds like you were dehydrated and probably on the verge of hypnotremia. According to Mike this is an easy fix - figure out your sweat rate per hour, add in some electrolytes depending on the sweat rate and you should change things dramatically.

You also could have ate too much food during the bike ride. Sandwiches and energy bars sound like a lot.

Highly recommend contacting Mike if you area going to do another IM. He has a nutritionist on board at D3 that helps people get through these situations. The nutritionist used to work at the Gatorade Sports Institute..

Congrats on your IM. Great job to finish based on the stomach issues. I know how bad you felt based on my experience at Lousiville.
2014-10-29 7:27 AM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Nutrition errors on first full
Nutrition in a full 140.6 race is so important and too many people don't pay enough attention to it or plan for it. You can mess up your nutrition at 70.3 distance and still do pretty well but do it at a full and you are in for a world of hurt.

Several thoughts (these are my own thoughts based on a lot of reading and racing experience but not necessarily gospel).


On the bike you should aim to take in between 4 to 6 calories per kilogram per hour (280-420 calories per hour if you weigh 70 kg). I like to do this with 100% liquids. I find that taking in solids while racing often comes back to haunt me later in the race so I don't take any any solids for an entire IM. I use a sports drink solution that has enough electrolytes that I don't have to fiddle with salt sticks while racing (it is just one more thing to go wrong and I am not convinced at all that people need to supplement with salt sticks if they are taking in electrolytes in their nutrition--but there are widely varying opinions on this). I have found that I don't tolerate Perform (the drink on WTC IM race courses) very well so I have a plan where I carry all of my nutrition instead of living off the course. I mix four bottles of my nutrition of choice, 400 calories per bottle, and carry two on the bike to start and pick up two more at bike special needs at the half way point of the race. I supplement with water from aid stations. If I start to get hungry it usually means that I am getting dehydrated so I top off with more water.

On the run it is much harder to take in calories. All of the jostling and the effort level means you cannot absorb as much as on the bike. Your goal while running (if you are walking the marathon you can take in just about anything......) should be 2-3 calories/kg hour (140-210 calories per hour if you weigh 70 kg). If I have fueled well on the bike then I am starting out in a good place with my energy stores relatively topped up. I take a dixie cup of coke every time it is offered and as much water as I can take in while running. This has worked great for me and I have not run out of energy on the marathon since going to this plan. Coke is very soothing to the stomach and is quickly absorbed. I personally don't carry any fluids or nutrition while running because I hate wearing a race belt. Just cannot stand having it around my waist while running.

You need to train like you are going to race. All of my long bikes for the last several weeks have been fueled exactly like I plan to fuel at IMAZ. You need to know before race day that your nutrition will go down and that it will leave you with enough energy to finish the race.

If you are going to live off the course (ie, use HEED), you need to get some HEED and use it in your training so you don't find out on race day that the on-course nutrition doesn't agree with you. This is a very bitter lesson. Almost every race will tell you on their website what the on-course nutrition will be.

KISS. If your plan calls for a gel every 20 minutes, a bar every 45 minutes, salt sticks on the 20s and 40s, a sip of gatorade on the 30s and 50s, water at the top and bottom, a peanut butter and jelly every 72 minutes, etc, then it is too complicated. This is why I go with all liquids. No brainer. I finish a bottle of nutrition every 1:00-1:15 and supplement with water. Easy peasy. That is not to say that you can't add in a cliff bar at the half way point or some other treat but don't make your nutrition so complex that it distracts you from racing. I get pretty sick of the taste of my electrolyte drink by about the four hour mark of the bike but I keep sucking it down (heck, I don't really like how it tastes at the 10 minute mark but I know it works for me.....). Racing IM is all about managing discomfort. If you can't force yourself to take in your drink because it is too sweet or you are tired of it, IM racing might be too hard for you

If your stomach "shuts down" it is more often than not a fitness problem, not a nutrition problem. You have either gone further or harder than your fitness will support and your stomach (and other systems) are rebelling. See the "train like you are going to race" comment above. If you have never ridden more than four hours and you are six hours in to your bike ride, don't be surprised that your stomach isn't happy. If you have never ridden over 40 miles at 20 MPH but you "felt so good" that you are now 70 miles in to your race having averaged 21.5 MPH, your stomach's refusal to absorb nutrients might be the first sign that you made a tactical error.

Again, I am not a huge proponent of salt sticks. Your body will do a pretty good job of regulating electrolytes as long as you are getting a moderate amount in your fluids. Obviously, some people (Jordan Rapp...) feel very different about this.

Enough of a novel. I have made this an area of focus in my racing. I am happy to answer questions.
2014-10-29 8:41 AM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Nutrition errors on first full

How much water did you take with all those solid calories and salt tabs?  You need quite a bit to digest all that.  That's a good reason to stick to liquids as much as possible (many people do 'need' some solids along the way--just make sure to space them out well and drink enough water to aid the digestion).  Even gels are intended to be taken with about 8oz of water.

Most times your stomach 'shuts down', it is because you are taking in more than your gut can process given the effort level you are exercising.  Generally, the best ways to combat this are to do some combination of take in less, take in your calories in smaller 'bites' while also drinking enough water each time, and slow down.  Adding salts can sometimes cause as many problems as it might solve.  I doubt your issue was not enough, but it's a possiblility.

2014-10-29 9:51 AM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Nutrition errors on first full

Congratulations on finishing B2B.  I did the full as well.  

How many calories did you take in?
You mentioned 2 PB sandwiches (maybe 700 total), some energy bars (??), a bottle of Gatorade (150?), and some Heed (??) on the bike.  

One bottle of Gatorade (another 150 calories) on the run when your stomach shut down.  

Did you drink any water during the bike/run?  

You probably expended somewhere close to 7000 calories during the day.  No, you cannot replace all of them, so much of that has to come from stores within your body.  Most people will shoot for 200-300 calories/hour on both the bike and run.  For 8 hours on the bike and almost 7 on the run, you'd be looking at 3000-4500 calories total between the sandwiches, Gatorade, Heed, and other nutrition.  

Cramping is usually the earliest symptom that your salt intake is too low.  You don't mention that, just that your stomach was angry and you weren't drinking even water.  

If you were eating and not drinking, you probably didn't have enough fluid to keep your stomach happy digesting what you ate.  Did you pee on the bike?  In T2?  During the run?  

I'd say you probably were suffering dehydration far more than an electrolyte imbalance.  Even though it wasn't too hot, you were still out there a very long time.  

For me, I consumed about 1500 calories on the bike (one bottle of Gatorade, one bottle of Heed, the rest solid food).  I drank more water on the bike.  I pushed both Heed and water during the run but also ate a few cookies, pretzels, orange slices, chomps, and some chicken broth.  Even then, I was definitely depleted part way through the run.  I had potty breaks in T1, twice on the bike, in T2, and once on the run (and soon after finishing).  Only needing one stop on the run is an indication I was borderline dehydrated.  

2014-10-29 10:02 AM
in reply to: McFuzz

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Subject: RE: Nutrition errors on first full

 

Nutrition is a big part of IM but at the same time fitness level is also right up there. Often times people outrace their training and then blame it on nutrition. If the engine is not fully up to the task, no amount of adding fuel is going to get it to the finish any quicker. 

I didn't look at your logs or anything, but as you evaluate your race in the coming weeks, yes, pay attention to nutrition, but also be honest with yourself about your training and your level of fitness going into the race. Sounds like you ate plenty, the engine may just not have been up to the pace you were trying to keep.



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